"The Japanese government's recent expression of interest in internationalization of the nuclear fuel cycle should be seen for what it is: a self-serving attempt to justify Japan's own uranium enrichment and reprocessing programs", according to the Tokyo based Citizens' Nuclear Information Center (CNIC).
An agency of the Ministry for Economics Trade and Industry held a meeting on Tuesday, October 25th to discuss the issue. Among the options considered were the possibility of enriching uranium and reprocessing spent nuclear fuel for other countries.
"Previously the Japanese government had not been supportive of proposals to internationalize the nuclear fuel cycle. It was afraid of restrictions being placed on the new spent fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture. A proposal made by Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, included a call for a moratorium on such facilities."
"Now the government is concerned that if it does not make a concrete proposal of its own, it might end up being lumped with all the other non-nuclear weapon states and be subject to the same restrictions as them in regard to uranium enrichment and reprocessing."
"There has been strong international criticism of the Japanese government's plan to start up the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant, because of the negative impact it will have on the nuclear non-proliferation regime. Many people believe that it could undermine international efforts to discourage other countries - including Iran and North Korea - from building their own enrichment and reprocessing facilities."
"The government is now trying to deflect these criticisms and to avoid the risk that moves towards internationalizing the nuclear fuel cycle might jeopardize its own programs. This is a cynical move, because the government knows full well that Japan will not have the capacity to enrich uranium or reprocess spent fuel for other countries for the foreseeable future. It hopes that by offering to participate in a program to guarantee other countries access to uranium enrichment and reprocessing services, it will persuade them to be more accepting of its own plans to increase its uranium enrichment capacity and to commence reprocessing at Rokkasho. But how will other countries view Japan's enrichment and reprocessing programs when they realize that the offer is hollow?"
"The government wants Japan to be recognized as a model of the peaceful use of nuclear energy. However, it would gain far more respect if it showed real leadership and chose not to proceed with reprocessing at Rokkasho. The world would then believe that Japan is truly committed to nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament."
Background information
The uranium enrichment plant in Rokkasho has been plagued by problems and is now only able to meet 10% of Japan's own needs. Extensions are planned, with a suggested start-up date of 2010, but nothing concrete has emerged so far.
The Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant is currently undergoing uranium trials. Active trials using spent fuel are scheduled to begin in December this year, but due to various problems, in particular with the high level radioactive waste storage facility, there is no prospect that this date will be met. If it ever commences operations, it will be the first industrial-scale reprocessing plant in a country which does not possess nuclear weapons. Its maximum capacity will be 8 tons of plutonium each year, enough to make 1,000 Nagasaki type bombs.
At most it will be able to reprocess only 80% of the spent fuel from Japan’s own nuclear power plants. Consequently the government has in mind a second reprocessing plant, which might also be able to reprocess foreign spent fuel. However, no mention was made of a second reprocessing plant in the new nuclear energy policy adopted by the government on October 14th. If a second plant is to be built, planning won't begin until 2010 and it is unlikely to be operational until decades hence.
One example of criticisms of the proliferation imp lications of the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant is a statement issued on 5 May 2005 at the Non-Proliferation Review Conference by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The statement was signed by 27 eminent scientists, former policy makers and analysts. See the links below:
http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/japanese-plutonium-program-
threatens-nonproliferation-regime-warn-nobel-laureates-and-other-experts.html
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_security/nuclear_terrorism/japan-strengthen-
the-nonproliferation-treaty.html
Contact: Philip White, International Liaison Officer
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